Racefeed: 2018 MX Nationals Rd1 Newry

Post-race updates from the MX1 and MX2 classes at round one of the 2018 Pirelli MX Nationals, direct from Newry in Victoria.

Image: Marc Jones (Foremost Media).

Pirelli MX2 qualifying (results only):

Pos

Rider

Best Lap

1

Wilson Todd

1m55.369s

2

Dylan Wills

1m55.462s

3

Kyle Webster

1m55.938s

4

Egan Mastin

1m56.191s

5

Nathan Crawford

1m56.252s

6

Jay Wilson

1m56.295s

7

Cody Dyce

1m56.512s

8

Lochie Latimer

1m56.726s

9

Aaron Tanti

1m56.968s

10

Richie Evans

1m57.250s

Thor MX1 qualifying (results only):

Pos

Rider

Best Lap

1

Mitch Evans

1m54.861s (SP)

2

Brett Metcalfe

1m56.922s (SP)

3

Kirk Gibbs

1m57.163s (SP)

4

Dean Ferris

1m57.216s (SP)

5

Luke Clout

1m58.905s (SP)

6

Caleb Ward

1m58.795s

7

Dylan Long

1m59.501s

8

Kade Mosig

1m59.726s

9

Kayne Lamont

1m59.837s

10

Connor Tierney

2m00.423s

Pirelli MX2 moto one:
The opening MX2 race of the season was dominated by Serco Yamaha’s new signing Nathan Crawford on return to the class, 9.210s ahead of early leader Hamish Harwood (Davey Motorsports KTM), as Aaron Tanti – who claimed the first hole-shot of the season – put his Complete Parts Kawasaki on the podium in his first appearance with the new-look team. A charging Richie Evans (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) made his way to fourth by race’s end, while defending champion Egan Mastin (KTM Motocross Racing Team) was P5 after crashing out of the lead in the opening laps. Sixth was former champion Jay Wilson (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) in an inspired ride through the pack, followed by supercross champion Jackson Richardson (Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing), Kale Makeham (Yamaha), pole-setter Wilson Todd (Serco Yamaha) and Kyle Webster (Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing).

Pos

Rider

1

Nathan Crawford

2

Hamish Harwood

3

Aaron Tanti

4

Richie Evans

5

Egan Mastin

6

Jay Wilson

7

Jackson Richardson

8

Kale Makeham

9

Wilson Todd

10

Kyle Webster

Thor MX1 moto one:
Reigning champion Dean Ferris stood atop the podium in the opening race of the MX1 season with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, topping Kirk Gibbs (KTM Motocross Racing Team) and first lap leader Kade Mosig (DPH Motorsport Husqvarna). Ferris and Gibbs went back and forth during the early laps, but it was Ferris who remained composed and eventually stretched an assertive lead, scoring victory by 3.075s. Mosig followed Gibbs directly across the line in third after withstanding all kinds of pressure from Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Honda Racing), who in turn kept rookie Mitch Evans (Raceline Pirelli KTM) at bay as he completed the top five. Sixth was a strong finish for another class debutant in Caleb Ward (Davey Motorsports Husqvarna), making his way by Rhys Carter (Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing) late in the moto, with another Kiwi Kayne Lamont (Altherm JCR Yamaha) eighth after he surged out of the gates for the hole-shot before gradually dropping further down the order. Early troubles caused Luke Clout (KTM Motocross Racing Team) to climb through the order to P9, as Dylan Long (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team) also recovered from a difficult start to round out the top 10.

Pos

Rider

1

Dean Ferris

2

Kirk Gibbs

3

Kade Mosig

4

Brett Metcalfe

5

Mitch Evans

6

Caleb Ward

7

Rhys Carter

8

Kayne Lamont

9

Luke Clout

10

Dylan Long

Pirelli MX2 moto two:
The second MX2 moto of the round saw a determined Tanti fire out of the gates to his second hole-shot in two races and he was never headed, sprinting off to an emphatic moto win that secured him his first-career overall in the nationals. Tanti won the race by 4.736s ahead of a fast-finishing Webster, as Todd improved to third this time around. Crawford was unable to match his opening performance, having to claw his way up the order to fourth, as Harwood followed him home for fifth after running as high as second. It was a consistent day for Evans in scoring sixth, from Richardson, Dylan Wills (DPH Motorsport Husqvarna), Jesse Madden (KSF Ecstar Suzuki Racing) and Jay Wilson (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) in 10th. Overall for the round it was Tanti who took victory, from Crawford and New Zealand champion Harwood.

Pos

Rider

1

Aaron Tanti

2

Kyle Webster

3

Wilson Todd

4

Nathan Crawford

5

Hamish Harwood

6

Richie Evans

7

Jackson Richardson

8

Dylan Wills

9

Jesse Madden

10

Jay Wilson

Thor MX1 moto two:
There was no denying Ferris the race two victory in moto two at the opener, overcoming KTM-mounted privateer Daniel Banks on the opening lap and accelerating away to the perfect scorecard from there. Ferris won by a controlled margin of 7.639s following the 30 minutes plus one lap duration, once again ahead of Gibbs, with Evans third to complete the rostrum. Fourth was an improved showing for Clout this time around, marginally ahead of Ward on return from GPs, with Long another improved result this afternoon. The top 10 was rounded out by Carter, Mosig, Tierney and Joel Wightman (Ride Red Honda). A big-name casualty late in the race was Metcalfe, who experienced back-end issues with his CRF450R while running third and was forced out during the final laps. Overall for the weekend it is Ferris who departs round one with the red plate after scoring a triumphant overall, with the ever-consistent Gibbs runner-up and Evans third in his maiden premier class appearance.